Employability has been
operationalized by Harvey (2005). Though the author’s works applies to college
graduates in general, the specific application to nursing graduates provides a
framework for investigating recent trends of experienced difficulty acquiring
first employment. Previous work experiences and external factors are two concepts
that are often overlooked by crowded curriculum demands and other requirements.
If explored thoroughly, these two concepts can create a holistic approach for
educating students that will be sought after by recruiters and employers.
1. Aamodt, P., & Havnes, A. (2008).
Factors Affecting Professional Job Mastery: Quality of Study or Work
Experience?. Quality in Higher
Education, 14(3), 233-248. doi:10.1080/13538320802507539
Faculty from the University of Bergen
in Norway explored Harvey’s (2005) definition of employability within the
context of the economic climate and hiring practices in their country. Their
research links the concepts and principles identified by Harvey, but extended
their importance beyond the curricular experience and well into the first years
of professional employment post-graduation. Thus, employers should utilize the
examples set forth in Burns & Poster (2008) to form collaboration with
educational institutions. Likewise, nursing education programs may need to
invite common employers as stakeholders to discuss employability concepts in
the form of undergraduate nursing student employment and postgraduate shortened
internships.
2.
Burns, P., & Poster, E. C. (2008). Competency development in new registered
nurse graduates: closing the gap between education and practice. Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing,
39(2), 67-73.
The
authors are each deans of nursing programs at universities in Texas. After an
extensive literature review, a 2-day seminar was organized and solicited
attendance from nursing faculty and nurse educators on both sides of the
education/practice arena. A discussion on clinical competency of new graduates
and how programs change to correct issues demonstrates an eminent need to
track, or survey, graduates for continuing evaluation of success. Particularly,
schools that implement suggested changes will need to create survey samples of
those select students to provide validation for new innovations for developing
clinical competence in students. Surveys of employers of graduates from these
programs should indicate increased satisfaction of clinical competence. Thus,
the employability of graduates from the employer perspective can be monitored
and observed for trends.
3. Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. (2009,
April). Standards for accreditation of baccalaureate and graduate degree
nursing programs. Retrieved October 23 2011, from American Association of
Colleges of Nursing: http://www.aacn.nche.edu/accreditation/pdf/standards09.pdf
CCNE is a national accrediting agency that services a large
majority of BSN and MSN programs across the United States. Approved by the US
Department of Education, the CCNE effectively uses a multi-level collaboration
process and current research to update standards for the accreditation process
for nursing programs. The current version requires the analysis of aggregate
alumni outcomes to serve as a key component of program evaluation. Such a
requirement validates the immediate necessity to improve alumni participation
and feedback after graduation to continually help measure employability based
on undergraduate education.
4.
Dalley, K., Candela, L., & Benzel-Lindley, J. (2008). Learning to let go:
the challenge of de-crowding the curriculum. Nurse Education Today, 28(1),
62-69.
Nursing
Faculty from two state universities in Nevada provide an in-depth literature
review and subsequent analysis on recent development and practices in
developing nursing curriculum. By presenting the learning centered model,
nursing educators are encourage to “de-crowd” curriculum. This evidence of over
crowded curriculum suggests that students are over burdened thus prohibiting
availability to allow for part-time work while in undergraduate nursing
education. Curriculum evaluation must also consider a possible approach of
incorporating work experience, such as nurse externships, to promote
employability.
5.
Harvey, L. (2005). Embedding and integrating employability. New Directions
for Institutional Research, 2005, 13-28. doi:10.1002/ir.160
The
UK based author has produced multiple publications in his efforts to develop a
theory for employability. As a researcher for Quality in Higher Education,
Harvey’s work on employability stems the 1997 Dearing Report which identified a
significant need in correcting a growing problem. Defined concepts, with
supporting evidence, are targeted to both faculty and employers who recruit new
graduates in almost in discipline requiring collegiate experience. Within the
scope of nursing, Harvey’s theory can assist educators and recruiters to
address the issues plaguing new graduates today as identified in the Nurse
Executive Report (2005) and IOMs: Future of Nursing (2011).
6. Porter, S. R., Whitcomb, M. E.,
& Weitzer, W. H. (2004). Multiple Surveys of Students and Survey Fatigue. New Directions for Institutional
Research, (121), 63-73.
The authors, all faculty at Wesleyan
University in the UK, collected relevant literature to help guide research
investigating paper vs. web surveys. These efforts add to a body of evidence
that suggest survey administrators should be cautious when scheduling survey
deployment. Exhaustive surveying during and immediately following nursing
graduation may generate premature fatigue. To prevent this, a progressive and
scheduled approach for collecting graduate data can maintain interest and
achieve continual participation. Evaluating employability of nursing graduates
is dependent on adequate response rates from alumni surveys.
7. Salamonson, Y., & Andrew, S. (2006). Academic
performance in nursing students: influence of part-time employment, age and
ethnicity. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 55(3), 342-349;
discussion 350-351. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2648.2006.03863_1.x
Salamonson and Andrew are two well-published experts in
nursing education and currently serve as faculty in Sydney, Australia. Their
study of second year nursing students demonstrates to nursing program
administrators the detrimental affect of working nursing students on academic
performance. These negative findings must be considered when investigating the
immediate and long term consequence of student employment and employability.
8.
Schoofs, N., Bosold, S., Slot, V., & Flentje, J. (2008). Nursing Student
Employment. Nurse Educator, 33, 57-58.
doi:10.1097/01.NNE.0000299501.32529.44
Faculty
from various universities in the Midwest US conducted a descriptive study from
nursing students at their respective schools of nursing. Their study replicated
the efforts of Salamonson & Andrew (2006) to investigate widely adopted
opinion of discouraging part time work during undergraduate nursing education.
However, these authors failed to find similar results from their sample as did
Salamonson & Andrew. Though results were not significant, these faculty
could have extended their research to determine if students who did work during
undergraduate study demonstrated increased employability after graduation.
9. Story, L., Butts, J., Bishop, S., Green, L., Johnson, K.,
& Mattison, H. (2010). Innovative strategies for nursing education program
evaluation. Journal of Nursing Education,
49(6), 351-354.
Nursing faculty at the University of Southern Mississippi
conducted research on ways to increase participation in alumni and employer
satisfaction surveys. After a history of dismal response rates, surveys were
shortened, newer web technologies were utilized, and social media sites were
encouraged for undergraduate student groups. Their example adds to a beginning
body of evidence for nursing education programs looking for evidence-based
practice to improve aspects of program evaluation. This is a growing problem as
Porter, Whitcomb, & Weitzer (2004) highlights
the rising concern of survey fatigue among alumni.
10. Volkwein, J. (2010). Assessing alumni outcomes. New Directions for Institutional Research,
125-139.
Volkwein, former director for the Center for the Study of
Higher Education at Pennsylvania State University, has documented expertise in
statistical methodologies, survey design, and organizational effectiveness.
Challenges along with suggested solutions are presented along with resources
for those interested in collecting alumni outcome data. Nursing programs, such
as the one highlighted by Story et al. (2010) can use this information for
successful planning and implementation of alumni surveys. More specifically,
nursing schools can review Volkwein’s article for areas that they might be
currently experiencing difficulty. If managed correctly, nursing programs can
expect to collect a wealth of information in alumni studies that can highlight
employability success after graduation.
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